Memories and Mementos Are
Wonderful

". . .my great grandmother Ora Baker's journal.
. . .I kept the misspellings and grammatical errors (which was
quite
difficult as I used to teach English!) so as to maintain as much
integrity of the writings as I could. I hope that doesn't make
it too
hard to read. Quite a few Burnet County families are mentioned,
so I
hope the journals will be of interest to a number of visitors to
your
site."

Well the 16th Day of May 1967 we Walter Elmer Baker born
Sept. 4th, 1807 and Ora Clyde Williams born Oct. 15th,
1896
will have been married 50 years. It has been 50 happy years of
happiness for both of us. God has been very good to us, He blessed
us
with three little girls and a son. It was very sad indeed when God
saw fit to take our son from us but we know He knoweth and doeth
all
things for the best.

God gave he took he will restore, he doeth all things well and I
have felt sure that God needed him in heaven and called him home
to
help him, which he was so willing to do while here on earth. But I
pray that we shall all live so we can be reunited in that
beautiful
city not made with hands where there will be no more suffering or
death.

On May 16th 1917 we drove to Burnet Texas in a buggy and came to
Cousin Mat Jones Hotel and she wanted us to eat lunch with
her
so Walter and Hubert Hall went to see Bro. Morgan
Morgans who was pastor of the Christian Church and also came
to
Mahomet to preach for us. He said he could marry us so we ate
lunch
and then drove back to Bro. Morgans home, Sis. Morgan
wanted us to come in the house but we didn't we sat in the buggy
and
he stood beside the buggy and performed the ceremony. Hubert
Hall
and Zeula went with us. We drove back to Mama's that night
and
spent the night, the next day we moved into the house with Link
and
Nellie Walter's oldest brother and wife. We helped them
gather their crop. That fall we bought enough furniture for
[dollar
amount illegible] to start housekeeping and moved in a little
house
close to my Grandfather and Grandmother Williams.

Maxine was born while we lived there but I went to my
mothers Mary Ellen Williams and it was there that she was
born
on Sept. 1st 1918. She was a tiny thing weighing only 6 lbs. She
was
bald headed until she was one yr. old her hair begin to grow and
was
very curly. I remember when she was a small girl during World War
I.
The service boys used the remark going over the top so Walter and
I
were picking cotton and I was going to the wagon to weigh my
cotton
and I wanted her to go with me and of course Walter was going on
out
to the end of the row and she said no mamma I want to go over the
top
with Daddy.

We moved to Briggs Texas and Walter worked in the Drug
Store for Dr. P.N. Cheatam. He was the Dr. who delivered
Maxine. We lived there about 1 yr. then we moved to
Florence
Texas and stayed there about a yr. Walter worked in the
garage
for Dee Sullivan we then moved to my mothers and Walter
made one crop there. We then moved in the house with
Grandma
and Grandpa Williams and their son Uncle George Williams
who was a widdower. We lived there for seven years. It was in this
house that our son Walter Elmer Baker Jr. was born on May
2nd
1924 and Dr. T. D. Vaughn of Bertram Texas was the Dr. who
delivered him into our family. Then in this same house on Feb.
20th
1928 Dr. T.D. Vaughn also delivered Janell Baker
into
our family.

On July 23rd 1929 Dr. O. B. Atkinson of Florence Texas
drove to this same house and left our third little girl being the
fourth child in the family.

We had lived in this house and cared for my Grandmother and
Grandfather for seven yrs. By this time both of them had
passed
away. We then bought us a home 6 _ miles Northeast of Burnet. We
lived there 9. I think that was the happiest years of our life
with
our family watching our little ones grow up. We then bought us a
lot
in Burnet built us a new home and moved into it in Feb of 1936. We
lived there until 1956 we sold this place and moved out on highway
29-E where we are living at this time. We enjoy all our children
when
they come home and all our friends dropping in. But we have tried
to
live as near right as we know how and I pray when we pass on God
will
say, well done thy good and faithful servants.

Maxine Baker Everett was born Sept. 1st 1918 at Mahomet
Texas and was born at her Grandmother Williams (my mother)
Mrs. EllenWilliams home. Dr. P.N. Cheatam
was
the attending physician and those present were her Grandmother
Williams her GrandmotherSarah Baker her Aunt
Hattie
Burch. She was our pride and joy being our first child.
She grew to the age of 17 when she was married to Gilbert
Everett son of Audley and Gladys Everett by Rev.
Carl
Schlomach in Burnet Texas on Dec. 25th 1935. They moved to
Menard
Texas and there was where their oldest son Michael Maurice
was
born on May 29th 1939 in a private hospital. Dr. Hume was
the
attending physician an Miss Streigler was her nurse. I
went
out and stayed with her in the hospital until she was able to go
home
then I stayed with her until Mike was two wks old.
Walter came after me and I remember Mike had so much
long
black hair he looked like a girl. So Walter gave him a boy
hair cut. He never did act or look like a baby.

They moved to Round Rock Texas Mar 22nd 1944. Joe Allen
Everett came to live with the family. He was born at the
home of
his Grandparents Walter and Ora Baker in Burnet Texas.
The
attending physician was Dr. T.D. Vaughn of Bertram Tex.
Mrs. RaymondHallum was also present.

Nov. 10, 1943 Ted Tennyson Everett was born in the home
of
his grandparents Walter and Ora Baker Burnet Texas to join
his
parents and other two brothers. His attending physician was Dr.
T.D.
Vaughn of Bertram Texas. Dr. Vaughn had been to
Burnet to a football game and had just returned to Bertram when we
called him to come to Burnet. It was thundering and lightning and
raining that night the electricity all went off and I had to get
out
the old coal oil lamps. But Dr. Vaughn and I delivered
this
husky baby boy and I cleaned the baby up and dressed him and Dr.
Vaughn changed Max bed and all. We were then ready
for a
good cup of coffee and talk over old times as he had been our
family
Dr. and delivered two of my own children.

On Dec. 27, 1947 Don Neil Everett made his appearance at
St. Johns Hospital in Taylor Texas. When Maxine was ready
to
leave the hospital I went down and rode home in the ambulance with
Maxine and Don Neil. The ambulance driver told me if we
needed
help to tap on the glass in the back of the cab. Don Neil
was
in a baby bassinette. When we were about halfway to Burnet we
smelled
smoke and since we neither smoked I tapped on the glass and they
stopped and came back and we got to searching for the fire and
found
that it was coming from the bassinette and the little new satin
baby
quilt was fire and had burned a hole about the size of a silver
dollar. I don't know what they thought but we were so thankful it
hadn't burned our baby.

Michael Maurice Mike Everett is now married to
Nelda Davis

Joe Allen Everett is married to Lynda Hunter.

Don Neil is married to Sandy Plummer.

Walter Elmer Baker our second pride and joy came to live
with his parents Walter and Ora Baker and older sister
Max on May 2nd 1924. Dr. T.D. Vaughn was his
attending
physician. He finished high school in Burnet Tex May 1942 and
volunteered into the service July 2nd 1942. Robert Parker
Mrs.
Raymond Hallum Mrs. Dick Kelly and myself took him to San
Antonio
and when he had signed up with the 1st Marines they told him he
could
eat lunch with us if he would be at the train at 3 o'clock to
leave
for California. We did and when the train left we left for home it
was very sad for me and I shed many tears. But he wanted so much
to
go he felt that it was his duty to go. He came home in Dec. on
furlough and left San Diego Calif Apr. 12th 194 [number illegible]
and he was so good to write home saying how he loved home and
family
and friends and was always asking about people. He soon landed
over
seas and was in several battles. I received the last letter from
him
on Dec 14 1943 and he was wounded Dec 31st at Cape Gloucestor new
Britain and died Jan 1st. We received word Feb 3rd 1944 and was
buried near the scene of the accident. Lyndon Johnson got
this
information for us immediately. W.E. Baker was laid to
rest near the scene of Battle where he was killed. Grave no. 4.
His
commanding officer took pictures of his grave and sent them to us.
His body arrived home Feb. 27 1949 was laid to rest in the Burnet
Cemetery section 7 block 4 now our family burying ground. A large
crowd of family and friends went with us to Lampassas to meet the
train when his body was returned. He was a good boy loved everyone
and member of 1st Christian Church and died fighting for his
country
and for what he thought was right.
[Newspaper accounts of W. E. Baker's
Death]

Janell Baker Branon was born Feb 20th 1928 at Mahomet at
the home of her Great Grandparents and my Grandparents on my
father's
side with whom we lived at the time. Uncle Jim and Aunt
Susan Williams as everyone affectionately called them. They
were
old at the time and they wanted Walter and I to live with them as
long as they lived which we did. Uncle George their oldest son who
was a widdower at the time to. Dr. T. D. Vaughn was the
physician who delivered this little pride and joy being our third
child. Those present at birth was her grandmother Mrs. Mary
Ellen
Williams her Aunt Hattie Burch and Mrs. Emma
Luna.

After graduating from Burnet High School she was married to
Jeral Lee Branon son of Jim and Olivia Branon
Burnet
Texas on Mar 22nd 1947 at the home of her parents Walter and
Ora
Baker. On Feb 14th 1948 Brenda Kay Branon arrived at
the
Sheppard Memorial Hospital to live with her mother and father. She
being born on Valentine Day we thought she was the sweetest
Valentine
we had ever seen and being the first granddaughter in the family.
Brenda has graduated from High School and is no in Breckenridge
School of Nursing and University of Texas.

Our fourth pride and joy Movelda Baker was born July 23rd
1929 at the home of her great grandparents Uncle Jim and Aunt
Susan as she was affectionately called where we were still
living. She was short and fat but weighted 10 lbs. When her
Grandfather Baker looked at her he called her his little
Cricket and she has always carried that nickname through
school and gets her mail sometime addressed to Mrs. CricketBaker Branon.Dr. O. B. Atkinson of Florence was
the
attending physician and her Grandmother Mrs. Mary Ellen
Williams her Aunt Mrs. Hattie Burch and Mrs.
Emma Luna
was present at the time.

When she graduated from Burnet High School in May. In May 13 1948
she was married to Vonda Joe Branon son of Jim and
Olivia
Branon. They were married at the home of her parents by Rev.
McClich. On May 23rd 1952 James Lee their first
child was
born at the Allen Clinic. Dr. Kern was the attending
physician. On June 21st 1954 Janita Branon arrived at the
Allen Clinic to join her father and mother and little brother.
James Lee and Janita were the last pride and joys
of
our Grandchildren for the Walter Bakers. We are very proud
of
them all. Janita like her mother has had a nickname all
her
life "Biddie" and I sometime have to think before I can
call
her right name. She was delivered at the hospital by Dr. Kern.

The personal memoirs end there. The remaining two pages of the
journal are entries regarding family lineages.

Alexander Randolph Baker

Date of Birth: March 1st 1870

Date of Death: Mar 20 1947

Sarah Elizabith Baker

Date of Birth: Dec. 9 1872

Date of Death: Jan 18 1956

Jessie C. Baker; born Oct 28 1891 /
died Feb 5 1892

Link E. Baker born June 8 1893 / died May 15
1952

Hubert C. Baker born Aug 13 1895 / died 1966

Walter E. Baker born Sept 4th 1897

Frank E. Baker Born Sept 23 1899

William B. Baker Born Oct 1st 1901 / Died Apr
1st
1904

Bessie C. Baker Born Nov 1st 1903

Lee R. Baker Born Oct 20 1905

Hillary W. Baker ; Born Apr 17 1908 / Died Jan 10
1909

Ruby C. Baker Born Nov 8 1909

Lola P. Baker Born July 20 1912 / Died Dec 12
1916

Alexander Randolph Baker's mothers name was
Elizabeth

*****

Roland Absolum Williams

Date of Birth: May 20 1860

Date of Death: June 6 1902

Mary Ellen Williams

Date of Birth: April 25 1864

Date of Death: March 6 1951

Lucy M. Williams: born July 27 1888 / died Nov
20 1958

Infant Son: born and died Dec 30 1884

Hansford W. Williams: Born Dec 8 1885

Lola M. Williams: Born Apr 1st 1888

Infant Daughter: Born and died June 8 1890

Hattie P. Williams: Born June 23 1891

Lillie Williams: Born Mar 31 1894 / died Dec 22 1966

Ora C. Williams: Born Oct 15 1896

Beulah E. Williams: Born Oct 23 1900

Roland Absolum Williams and Miss Mary Ellen Stewart
were married

*****

Brothers and Sisters of Walter Baker

Link Elbert Baker and Nellie Mae Clark
married Jan 14 1914

[there is a notation in the margin about a 2nd
marriage to Emma Ganzert, but it is unclear if it is
meant for
Link or his brother Hubert]

Hubert Clarence Baker and Myrtle Montgomery
married
Jan 14 1917

Walter Elmer Baker and Ora Clyde Williams married
May
16 1917

Frank E. Baker and Beulah Edith Williams married
Sept
29 1918

Alvin O. Montgomery and Bessie Carmen Baker
married
Oct 2 1921

Ruby Claryce Baker and G. Martin Dooley married
Jan
12 1929

Lee Roy Baker and Leta Allen married May 19 1940
[there is a notation in the side margin that his first marriage
was
to LolaLandrum and that Leta is a second
marriage]